1950s Secretary of the Navy G-1 Leather Flight Jacket

[442RCT]

Pretty impressive don't 'cha think ? You'd think something like this would be more likely to show up at a upscale auction house (Christie's, etc.) rather than eBay...but then again, I haven't been surfing on eBay long enough to know what kind of items have been posted.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1950s-Secretary-of- ... 1|294%3A50

 

[asiamiles]

Pretty impressive don't 'cha think ? You'd think something like this would be more likely to show up at a upscale auction house (Christie's, etc.) rather than eBay...but then again, I haven't been surfing on eBay long enough to know what kind of items have been posted.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1950s-Secretary-of- ... 1|294%3A50

I'd like to think if it were me I'd hold onto my grandfather's jacket, especially if it fit me as this seems to do the seller. In fact, I'd imagine this would be the pride of my collection, and the very last thing I'd sell.

 

[rich]

I'd like to think if it were me I'd hold onto my grandfather's jacket, especially if it fit me as this seems to do the seller. In fact, I'd imagine this would be the pride of my collection, and the very last thing I'd sell.

[/quote]


Agree 100%, to do this seems wrong for so many reasons.........

 

[442RCT]

[/quote]Agree 100%, to do this seems wrong for so many reasons.........[/quote]

I also agree 100%, this jacket and all the provenance that goes with it, should have been donated to a museum rather than being sold...but then again it's his property to do with what he will and he must need the money. If you think about it many, many families have sold grampa's, or great-grampa's junque because none in the family cared or wanted it around anymore...especially those icky, tattered, scuffed up, dried out leather jackets.

 

[Atticus]

Well....I guess being the grandchild of a former Secretary of the Navy (even a Republican one) doesn't automatically bestow intelligence, scruples or financial security upon a person. Not saying that such is the case here, but I've prosecuted destitute crack-heads who were the sons or daughters of milionaires. They still thought and acted like crack-heads.

I would like to know why the patches on the jacket are ass-backwards. I know that older Navy jackets were sometimes patched this way, but it seems odd for a jacket worn by the Secretary of the Navy.

AF

 

[tamoko]

.

 

[rpmooreii]

FWIW, this gentleman e-mailed me for info on Navy jackets and this jacket specifically several weeks ago. In a nice manner, I mentioned that he really ought to keep such a great jacket in the family but he has kids in college and the economy is bad.....

I couple of things I found interesting are:

1. The name patch and Sec of Navy flag are on sewn on the opposite sides as would be normal (name is always on the left on a Navy jacket and unit patches on the right). The fact that the orig owner was also a naval aviator earlier in his career made me wonder if the patches were sewn on much later. I have not doubt the patches are authentic but the I just can't see a sec of the Navy sewing wearing a jacket with the patches sewn on in a clearly non-spec fashion.

2. No name 55J14 could be a proto esp. considering the position the orig owner had in 1946-47 when the 55J14s were first being made

...Roger

 

[hacker]

Quite odd.....I don't know of any55j14 maker who used that pocket flap design. That really didn't come on the scene till later on. The tag looks hand sewn?......strange in any case...


Hacker

 

[Atticus]

After Tamoko posted about the flaps I started comparing the "suspect jacket" to internet photos of real 55j14s. The flaps on the suspect jacket sure look strange, big and straight-edged as they are. They look much more like late-sixties G-1 flaps than any that I could find on a 55j14. And the stencil looks wrong to me. The lettering appears to be of the wrong font and it appears to have been painted in a very sloppy manner. Too sloppy for a jacket that would have been presented to the Secretary of the Navy, IMO.

But other features of the jacket look correct to me. The coat hook appears to have been properly stitched through the jacket's shell and the zipper sure looks legit. I guess the knits couldn't tell us much about the jacket's age as they could have been replaced since the 'fifties.

Maybe we just need to contact Old Captain Skeeter about this jacket. As I recall, he used to wear a 55j14 back when he was flying in Korea.

AF

 

[hacker]

After Tamoko posted about the flaps I started comparing the "suspect jacket" to internet photos of real 55j14s. The flaps on the suspect jacket sure look strange, big and straight-edged as they are. They look much more like late-sixties G-1 flaps than any that I could find on a 55j14. And the stencil looks wrong to me. The lettering appears to be of the wrong font and it appears to have been painted in a very sloppy manner. Too sloppy for a jacket that would have been presented to the Secretary of the Navy, IMO.

But other features of the jacket look correct to me. The coat hook appears to have been properly stitched through the jacket's shell and the zipper sure looks legit. I guess the knits couldn't tell us much about the jacket's age as they could have been replaced since the 'fifties.

Maybe we just need to contact Old Captain Skeeter about this jacket. As I recall, he used to wear a 55j14 back when he was flying in Korea.

AF

Well Kernel , I detect a degree of skepticism in your statement. Your last suggestion however might be valid.

BTW, I have seen stenciling of that "quality" on other 55j14, and 7823(AER) jackets...Foster comes to mind. An odd duck, in any case....maybe an Imperial test model :lol:

Hacker

 

[rpmooreii]

I also questioned the pocket flaps and told the owner they looked "odd" to me as they were typical of 60s G-1s. I have seen many USN stencils with that level of sloppiness

 

[Andrew]

Assuming it's all genuine, it always kills me to see an item like this is sold off by a family member- and this one's particularly crappy as it's the old Boy's Grandson. Just what would that stern looking chap say if he could...

Interesting letter he's including, I wonder what sort of knees-up went on at those things- to me "stag" suggests the involvement of pretty ladies (whom they're not married to)... I suppose being 52 years DDE's request has been met and it's now ok to post it on the net!

 

[Jaydee]

I don't buy it, and if I were you....I wouldn't buy it either! the pocket flap shape, label stitching, patch reversal, and the pronounced paint outline of the rubber stamp on the USN stencil are worrisome to me. It looks like an AER later 50's model to me, judging by the nickel zipper and black brass Conmar puller. It would be interesting to know if the windflap has the USN punch or not, as it is not shown in the pictures. If it is somehow legit however, I feel sad for the old man as well. And I would be almost certain that it would end up being a regretable action by the grandson.

 

[MikeyB-17]

It would be interesting to know if the windflap has the USN punch or not

He mentions in the listing that it doesn't.

 

[zoomer]

That (and the no-contract label) might indicate a jacket from an off-contract lot, made for the civvy market.

 

[asiamiles]

That (and the no-contract label) might indicate a jacket from an off-contract lot, made for the civvy market.

But that wouldn't have USN under the collar, would it?

 

[442RCT]

Secretary of the Navy G-1 Flight Jacket-SOLD $504.00

Looks like the bidding has begun, the end date won't be until May-24-09...any of you care to predict what the final purchase price will be ?

Well, with the provenance or not...the jacket only sold for $ 504.00, a mere pittance.